Deserted Royalty
by InuLimbo
Summary: Kaoru was left to die in the desert. She is found by Kenshin Himura who will help in every way to regain what she has lost.


Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin  
  
Deserted Royalty  
  
Chapter 1  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
She had been walking for days through the sands of the desert. No water or food was left, and she was getting weaker with every passing moment. She picked up her feet slowly forcing herself to keep going. There was a path of footprints behind her going as far as the eye could see. Her damp bangs clung to her forehead, and she used her hand to wipe away a trail of sweat that had trickled down her face.  
  
"I can't keep going," she said weakly.  
  
"Nonsense," a masculine voice said to her. He was seated on a beautiful black stallion. He gave a rope in his hand a tug, which was connected to her neck.  
  
"I can't," her eyes were half closed from exhaustion. "I need water."  
  
"I told you I was sorry about that." He patted his horse's neck. "But my little boy needed it."  
  
The girl, Kaoru, was disgusted with this. Giving a horse water over a human being. She trudged along behind the man seated proudly on his horse. They would be reaching their destination soon. She wasn't entirely sure if she was ready for what was soon to come. However, she had wanted it more and more as the torturous trip progressed. She tripped, and fell on her knees into the burning sand. The horse kept walking, which pulled her forward. She couldn't stand up. In consequence, she was being dragged along by her neck. The rope tightened, and made her gasp for breath. Suddenly, she came to a stop. She desperately tried to loosen the tight grip the rope had around her throat.  
  
The man's feet hit the ground as he demounted his horse. His steps could barely be heard as he stepped next to the petit form lying on the desert ground. "Get up."  
  
She did not move an inch, and this made him furious. "I suggest you get up, your highness." His eyes glared daggers into her very soul, and he showed no mercy whatsoever. She got to her knees as she tried to stand, but just collapsed.  
  
"You are getting me angry, and I am not one to be very easily frustrated." She gasped as he picked her up by the front of her shirt, and threw her a few feet away. Next to her was a concrete block with a small metal circle that protruded out. Jingling could be heard as he put some shackles through the hoop. He took her wrists roughly, and clamped the cuffs tightly around them.  
  
"There, that's all there is to it, highness." He walked to back to his horse and mounted it. He pulled the straps back so he could give her one last look. "Don't worry, Lord Shishio will take excellent care of your kingdom. You needn't worry, highness. Now if you'll excuse me, this is where we will part." He kicked the sides of the stallion, and galloped off into the sands of the desert.  
  
She pulled with all the strength she had left to free herself. "What good would it do anyway?" She limply let her arms dangle from the cuffs. "There's no way I could go anywhere if I got free." She sighed. "And besides, I can't go back."  
  
A man named Shishio had been after her Father's power for a long time. However, he had never succeeded in what he wanted until now. Her Father had died in his sleep a week ago from a deadly disease. Once he was down, Shishio saw his chance and struck. Because of it, Kaoru was now cuffed to a concrete rock, and dying in the middle of nowhere. However, she was more concerned about her younger brother, Yahiko, than herself. She wanted nothing more than to be beside him, and comfort him at this moment. After all, they had lost everything in such a short period of time. They had lost their father, their home, and each other all in one week. They still had him back at home. Who knows what they could be doing to him.  
  
She cried softly. The bright sun beat its rays down upon her. Things were beginning to get unclear, and it wasn't only because of her tears. She was losing consciousness, and she knew it. Her head hung forward as everything went blurry followed by darkness.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Kaoru slowly opened her eyes. She felt something cool on her forehead. "Huh?" A wet cloth sat there. She took it off, and took in her surroundings. "Where am I?"  
  
She had been lying on a bed in a small room. She pushed the covers back, and sat up in the bed. She was dressed in different clothes as well. "How did I get here?" She lifted her feet from the bed and put them down on the floor. A tantalizing smell was lurking around, and her stomach growled in response.  
  
"Maybe I should go check it out." She opened the door, and walked toward what looked like the kitchen. A man's back was turned toward her. He was seated at a table drinking some coffee, and reading a paper. Suddenly he turned around.  
  
Kaoru gasped. He was very handsome. He had long red hair that was held back, a scar on his left cheek, and the most beautiful eyes she had ever seen.  
  
"Oh, it's you," he said cheerfully. "I was worried there for a moment." He stood up, and placed a hand on her forehead. "Your fever has seemed to have gone down."  
  
She furrowed her eyebrows, and moved his hand away from her face. "Excuse me, but who are you and how did I get here?"  
  
He placed his arm behind his head. "How silly of me. I never introduced myself." He held out his hand to her. "My name is Himura Kenshin."  
  
She looked at his hand, and then took it in her own for a friendly shake.  
  
"And you are?" he urged.  
  
'Should I tell him my real name?' she thought to herself. 'I can't do that.' She looked up at his face. 'I don't even know this man. It's not safe to give my name out at this time. If Shishio knew I was still alive, I wouldn't just endanger myself, but also those around me.'  
  
Kenshin had been watching her shifting expressions with amusement. He laughed a little which shook her from her thoughts. "Well?"  
  
"Uh.," she said stupidly.  
  
Kenshin lifted both of his eyebrows waiting for an answer. He scratched the back of his neck with an awkward smile on his face. "Well, I never thought it would be this hard to give someone a name."  
  
Kaoru was red at this point. "Oh, I'm sorry. My name is..." She was thinking as hard as she could and said the first name that came into her mind. "Katori Hinotiko."  
  
Kenshin smiled in return. "Well Miss Katori, you were not in good shape when I found you, that you were not. You were passed out, and cuffed to a large block of concrete."  
  
"Yes, I vaguely remember."  
  
"If you don't mind me asking," he started. "What happened? Why were you there in the first place?"  
  
Kaoru shifted uncomfortably. "I was banished...from my home."  
  
"Why?" he questioned immediately.  
  
Her eyes drifted to the floor, and stayed there as she took a deep breath. "I don't really want to talk about it."  
  
"Miss Katori..." He placed a hand on her shoulder.  
  
She looked up at him. "What does it matter anyway? It's just the past, and it can't be changed. Even if my future is ruined, my family is gone, and others want to take my life, it all just doesn't matter." She broke off at the end of her sentence, and collapsed to the tile floor. Tears swelled up in her blue eyes, and rolled down her cheeks.  
  
"Miss Katori," he squatted down, and lifted her chin. "I may not do much good, but I will help you in anyway I can, that I promise."  
  
"But," she wiped away a tear that was half way down her cheek. "But you don't even know me."  
  
He stood up, and started to walk away. "I am fully aware of that, but I can't just leave you alone. Because," he paused, and turned his head to look at her. "Because I know how that feels, and I don't like it." He continued walking, and left the room.  
  
Kaoru smiled. "What a nice guy." She stood up from her spot on the floor, and looked around the room. "But I can't stay here for much longer. I might put him in danger." Her stomach growled. "Guess I better get something to eat." She looked at the table where Kenshin had been sitting, and some food was already set out. She wasted no time to sit down, and start eating. "Forget table manners!" She dug into her food. She heard a laugh behind her, and she swiftly turned around.  
  
Kenshin was standing behind her leaning against a wall. "Well, I see you're very hungry."  
  
"Oh my gosh," was her reply. She was red as a cherry, and she wiped her mouth off with a napkin that rested in the center of the table.  
  
He laughed again. "It's alright. I understand that you must be hungry. After all, you haven't had anything to eat in a while. So you can keep eating."  
  
She nodded slowly, and picked up a fork and knife. She carefully cut into her pancake, and took small bites.  
  
"I think I preferred how you were eating before. It went a lot faster."  
  
"I'm sorry. Were you waiting on me?"  
  
"Well, I thought I could take you out for a while. I figured you want might some fresh air. It would do you some good."  
  
"Okay then." She stood up. "So is your waitress going to come get my dish or what?"  
  
Kenshin gave her an awkward stare. "Excuse me? A waitress?"  
  
'Kaoru, you idiot! He won't have a waitress or butler! You're not living in the luxury you were in before.' She smiled. "It was just a joke." She laughed lightly, and picked up her dish. She put it in the sink, and then walked back over to Kenshin. "Well, shall we go?"  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
I know I know. Super short chapter. But don't worry, because they WILL get longer. It's just I don't want to get into what plans I have for the next chapter yet. So if you are interested in what those plans might be, you can press that little button down there, and review for me. I would greatly appreciate it. Whether it's complements or ways you think I can improve. I say let me have it! Heh heh. C ya later! ~_^ ~InuLimbo~ 


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